Ducks acquire Kesler in trade with Canucks

Summary of 10 articles · Updated Jun 27, 2014

Ryan Kesler did his research and decided he has a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks than with the Vancouver Canucks. Kesler has two years left on his contract at a salary and cap hit of US$5 million each. The deal ends months… (more) of speculation as to where Kesler would land. PHILADELPHIA - The Vancouver Canucks were busy early on NHL draft day, sending star forward Ryan Kesler to Anaheim, and defenceman Jason Garrison to Tampa Bay as part of three trades hours before Florida chose Aaron Ekblad with the No. 1 selection Friday night. But Murray, who has what many believe was the Western Conference consolation prize in the Ryan Kesler sweepstakes in Jason Spezza, has to be muttering to himself and wondering whether he’s even going to get close to his asking price of a player, a prospect and a first-round pick. A source confirmed to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun that the Ducks will send back center Nick Bonino and defenseman Luca Sbisa, as well as the 24th overall pick in this year's draft in a deal consummated just hours before the first round was scheduled to take place at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center. The lesson here, kids, is this: If you have a star player who has any form of a no-trade clause and demands a one-way ticket out of town – or in the case of Spezza you at least create that impression – you are never, ever going to get equal value for him. Ever. So deal with it.